1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and apparatus for assembling articles such as trouser-fly units.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The prior art, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,697,227, 2,731,643, 3,263,238, 3,570,104, and 3,765,348 contains a number of apparatus and methods for producing trouser-fly units. In one method and apparatus as illustrated in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,731,643 and 3,263,238 continuous strips of trouser-fly material are sewn to the tapes of continuous slide fastener chains and are surged; this method requires the added expense of a continuous length of fly material whereas it is more economical to use fly pieces cut from short lengths of scrap material. In the above mentioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,697,227, 3,570,104 and 3,765,348 individual fly pieces are sewn to a continuous slide fastener chain; however, these methods and apparatus cannot be used upon fly pieces which have a curved edge which is to be surged.
There are a number of prior art sewing machines such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,973,732, which contain both an overedge stitching mechanism and a straight line stitching mechanism for simultaneously surging the edge of an article and sewing a line of stitches on an article; some of such prior art sewing machines having been employed in simultaneous surging of an edge of a fly piece and sewing the fly piece to a continuous slide fastener chain.